Medical Academy officials on Tuesday sought to allay "significant concerns" about whether the Catasauqua school is operating in compliance with its charter.

Catasauqua Area School District Superintendent Robert Spengler, in a Jan. 11 letter to CEO and Principal Joanna Hughes and board of trustees President Craig Haytmanek, identified eight categories where he says the academy is falling short.

Questions and answers about how medical instruction is integrated with core curriculum dominated the evening's discussion, but officials also talked about staff certification, professional development, student assessment, the academy's lease agreement and other problem areas listed in Spengler's letter.

If by March 5 school directors are not satisfied the academy is in full compliance with the charter, they could begin proceedings to revoke it, board solicitor David Knerr said.

"This is an opportunity for you to present information to us so we don't go down that road," he said in response to a query from the academy's attorney. "This is not a hearing. Your materials are not being presented as evidence."

Medical elements

Hughes distributed to board members a thick packet that outlined the role medical instruction plays in every subject taught at the school, as well as how teachers and administrators go about evaluating student achievement. Haytmanek, an ear, nose and throat doctor whose Fountain Hill practice is affiliated with the St. Luke's University Health Network, said he's stepped up to meet weekly with students and host monthly professional development sessions with academy staff.

Last week, Haytmanek led students through an examination of the human skull. Next, they are slated to dissect pigs' eyes, he said.

The superintendent said academy officials have supplied him with documentation showing at least 75 percent of its professional staff is certified, as required by law. When Spengler composed his letter, that figure was just under the threshold at 73 percent.

Also, he and Hughes worked out a system to ensure the district receives required reports from the academy on a monthly basis, the school has put in place an emergency operations plan and is on the path toward Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation, the superintendent said. Delayed reporting, the absence of a plan and accreditation all were issues mentioned in his letter.

After speaking with an academy attorney about the school's lease agreement, Knerr said he's confident of its validity, but still needs written documentation in order to put that issue to bed.

That's not good enough, Cunningham said. "It should have been ready and up and running on Day 1."

Struggles

She also said that academy ninth-graders have yet to take field trips officials indicated would be an integral part of students' career path development process. Arnold, who has helped found several Lehigh Valley charter schools, cited two reasons for the delayed trips.

First, the academy is focused on getting students up to speed in core subjects. As many as 90 percent of students arrived at the school performing below grade level, he said. Second, some sending districts have delayed payments to the academy, forcing officials at times to choose between paying staff, for example, and scheduling a student outing, Arnold said.

Right now, only freshmen and sophomores attend the academy, which opened last fall and shares space with Lehigh Valley Christian High School in the district's former Lincoln Middle School building, now owned by developer Abe Atiyeh.

Haytmanek said it's unreasonable for school directors to expect that ninth-graders will spend time in an operating room when some third-year medical students can count on one hand the number of times they've met with hospital patients, Haytmanek said. But Knerr pointed out that the board's expectations are based on information supplied during the charter application process.

"I'm not expecting anything other than what you said we should expect," he said.

School director Donald Panto said academy officials satisfactorily addressed some of the eight issues Spengler identified, but that he has lingering concerns, particularly about curriculum integration, professional development and student assessment.

"That may be a deal buster for some of us, all of us," Panto said.

Academy officials are next slated to address school directors at their March 5 meeting.